


the word for it

by theclaravoyant



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Ace!Mack, Asexuality, Bi!Mack, Bisexuality, Coming Out, F/M, LGBT+, Sexuality
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-05
Updated: 2016-06-05
Packaged: 2018-07-12 09:52:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7097647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theclaravoyant/pseuds/theclaravoyant
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Why do you stop kissing me?”</p><p>Mack comes out to Elena, and explains some terminology. T for sexual references.<br/>Prompt: Asexual Biromantic Mack</p>
            </blockquote>





	the word for it

**Author's Note:**

> You may have noticed a lot of LGBT+ themed fics coming out of me lately, that's because I'm taking LGBT+ themed prompts for Pride Month. I'm theclaravoyant on tumblr if you want to prompt me there or suggest something in a comment :)

“Why do you stop kissing me?”

“Hm?”

Mack looked up, distracted from the circles he was drawing on her tawny amber skin. Elena was frowning up at him, endlessly curious eyes bearing a slightly accusatory edge.

“You always stop kissing me, why? We kiss and we kiss and we kiss and we stop, and I wonder, I think, why do we never go further than that? It’s been a long time, we trust each other, but we stop. _You_ stop. Why? Is it my faith, because, I think God trusts me to make my own decisions about my body.”

Mack sighed and sat up straighter. He’d been feeling this discussion coming for a while, and if was going to be honest, he’d been dreading it.

Elena saw his hesitation, and intertwined the fingers of the hand he had been drawing on with the hand he had been drawing with.

“Is it _your_ faith?” she asked, more gently this time.

“No, no, it’s nothing like that,” Mack assured her. “I just don’t really like…more than that. Sex, I mean. It’s never really interested me. I mean – well, it’s not just not interesting, I really don’t want it. I find it kinda…gross, I guess, which sounds immature, but it’s not, I promise. I just don’t want sex. Is that…okay?”

Elena’s frown deepened as she sorted through what he had said.

“Are you sure it’s not –“

She gestured up and down her own body, and Mack moved their joined hands so that he could kiss her fingers.

“No, absolutely, it’s not just you. You’re beautiful.”

Elena giggled, crinkling her nose.

“No, I mean us! Women! Are you sure you’re…”

“Straight?”

She tilted her head, confused.

“Am I sure I like women, is what you’re asking,” Mack clarified. “And yes, I am. Guys too, but I don’t want to have sex with them either. Like I said, something about the whole thing just skeevs me out.”

He shuddered, and Elena laughed again.

“ _Skeeeevs_ you out,” she repeated.

“Yeah, skeevs, like, it grosses me out, it weirds me out, there’s lots of words for it.”

“There’s lots of words for everything,” Elena muttered, settling down against his chest with a huff, before she smiled again. “Is there a word for that, when sex _skeevs_ you out?”

“Actually, yeah. Asexual, or ace, is the word. Some people just aren’t huge fans of sex, some people are really horrified or grossed out by it. Ace applies to a whole lot of people.”

“And what about when you like men _and_ women?”

“Bisexual. Or in my case, without the sexual part, biromantic. Or just bi. Easier to remember.”

“Bi. That’s like two, right? I can remember that. What about when you just like one? Like me, is there a word for me if I only like men?”

“Heterosexual,” Mack said. “Or straight.”

“Straight? Like a straight line?” Miming it, Elena laughed. “Why?”

At this, Mack laughed too.

“You know, I don’t know. Maybe we should ask Joey.”


End file.
